A. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices and methods for vehicular occupant protection systems, and more particularly devices and methods for the active protection of an occupant's lower extremities.
B. Description of the Related Art
To increase a passenger's chances of surviving a frontal crash or collision, it is known to use both safety belt restraining systems as well as airbag systems.
Load management methods are also known for reducing injury and enhancing survivability. In general, load management entails using crumple zones. Crumple zones permit structural components of the automobile to deform in order to absorb the kinetic energy of a collision. It is known that in some frontal collisions, the space provided by the crumple zone is insufficient and components such as the vehicle engine and/or frame may be forced into the passenger compartment. This is known to cause injury especially to the lower extremities or legs of front seat occupants.
Knee bolsters are known in the automotive industry to aid in reducing the risk and severity of lower extremity injury during frontal collisions. Generally, knee bolsters comprise a yieldable lower wall of a dashboard, which are positioned to engage the knees of an occupant. Knee bolsters provide an energy-dissipating yieldable surface for restraining the passenger's lower extremities. Although knee bolsters absorb kinetic energy, their normal mode of operation still requires impact with the occupant, which produces injuries.
It is also known in the automobile industry to use knee air bags to reduce the risk of lower-extremity injury during a vehicle collision. A knee air bag may be upwardly deployed from below and in front of the occupant's legs. The bag inflates restraining the occupant's knees, absorbing kinetic energy, and preventing the lower body from moving forward into the vehicle's foot well area.
Despite these improvements, occupant safety remains an area of concern. During a frontal collision, a vehicle's foot well area can experience severe crash deformation. This foot well crash deformation, combined with the location and posture of an occupant's legs and feet, can contribute to the occurrence and severity of injury to a frontal occupant's lower extremities.
Existing devices and methods have various disadvantages. For example, they can be costly, add significant weight to the vehicle, and/or create comfort or ergonomic issues. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for devices and methods that offer improvements over the prior art.